Following the departure of Richard Hughes, Liverpool have reinstated Julian Ward as sporting director. Ward, a Scouser, first joined the backroom team in 2012 as a scouting manager and then was made loan player manager before serving as the assistant for long-running sporting director Michael Edwards in his last two years in the role. Ward succeeded him, but was only in the role for a year before resigning for personal reasons.
In the year he was with Liverpool, from June 2022-May 2023, he was responsible
for negotiating for players like Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, and Alexis MacAllister. He returned to Liverpool and FSG as technical director in 2024 and has now resumed the sporting director role.
Ward returns following the summer transfer window to assist new boss Andoni Iraola as he tries to slowly rebuild the team to his liking.
In an interview with the official site, Ward said, “I am incredibly excited to take on this role and it goes without saying that I am hugely grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by ownership.
“Having been part of Liverpool’s football operation for more than a decade, I have a full appreciation and first-hand knowledge of the challenge that comes with the position, as well as a clear understanding of the demands and ambitions of this great club.
“This is an exciting period for Liverpool – on and off the pitch – in which change and opportunity go hand in hand, but at the same time the culture, values and principles that have underpinned the club for so long remain as strong as ever.”
FSG president Mike Gordon praised Ward, describing their decision as a continuation of the long-standing relationship. He said, “We are delighted that Julian has agreed to take over leadership of our football operations department at this juncture, primarily because it is a role for which we believe he is the ideal candidate given his extensive experience of the football industry in general and Liverpool Football Club in particular.”
The club has been trying to fill Edwards’ shoes since he let Saudi Arabia’s big paychecks tempt him over to mixed results. Hopefully Ward’s knowledge of the club and previous experience will serve him well as he steps into the role for the second time.
